Downtown Greenville: Stellar Wine Bar closes, building sold and here's what might move in

You may not have noticed the activity in the building at 20 N. Main St., but the past few months have brought huge changes to the space which houses both Stellar Wine Bar and Rey's.

First, Stellar Wine Bar, the second-floor tenant of a decade closed, and then, the building was sold.

Now, the new, local, owner, Chai, Inc., which owns The Orient and Sushi Murasaki downtown, has plans to fill the Stellar space with a yet to be decided upon restaurant concept.

The deal was completed Dec. 23, with Ryan Robertson of SVN Blackstream representing the buyer. The +/- 2,541-square-foot Stellar space is currently available for lease, which Robertson is also handling.

The building went on the market in September, Robertson confirmed, and the deal came to fruition over the course of November, as Stellar's lease was ending.

The property is unique and contains three separate entities — the Stellar restaurant space, the space currently occupied by Rey’s and a loft apartment with a fully finished and spacious landscaped patio. Plans for the unoccupied spaces are still under discussion, but there is a chance that the apartment will become an Airbnb rental and the Stellar space will most certainly become a restaurant, said Steven Gaskins, operations manager for Chai, Inc.

Thus far, there has been talk of a taco concept, as well as something similar to, but more focused than, Stellar. There is also a chance that Chai, Inc. might decide to fill the space itself with a new concept, but plans are still under discussion,Gaskins said.

For now, the property adds to the trove of a longtime Upstate restaurant group, and firms the group's footprint within downtown. Chai Inc., recently remodeled both The Orient and Sushi Murasaki.

Chai, Inc. had been working on a deal to purchase the Orient building and/or the building housing Sushi Murasaki, but to no avail, Gaskins said. Thus, the purchase of the Rey’s building represents not only a present-day investment for the company, but a solid future and a belief in Greenville, Gaskins added.

“He’s established here, he works here, his family is here,” Gaskins said of Cheng Hai Yap, owner of Chai, Inc. “He just sees downtown Greenville going nowhere but up. For him, that building is an investment.”

The Orient and Sushi Murasaki are two restaurants in downtown Greenville.(Photo: Lillia Callum-Penso)

That’s a sentiment that Robertson, with his vantage point within the Upstate’ s commercial real estate sector, confirmed.

“I don’t foresee growth slowing down for at least the next 10 years,” he said. “Especially with all that is going on.”

Again, no solid plans for the former Stellar space yet, but look for a fun new restaurant there soon.

“It’s all drawing people to downtown,” Robertson said. “It’s only going to get bigger and better.”

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